Need my characters to have agency: Bhumi Pednekar

Mumbai, Feb 19 (PTI) Actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is completing a decade in the industry this year, says she is happy that she has built her career on playing women with agency, right from her debut with 2015’s “Dum Laga Ke Haisha”.

Bhumi, known for films such “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha”, “Bala”, “Bheed”, and “Bhakshak”, said it is a surreal feeling that she gets to live her dream of being an actor everyday through movies.

“I realised I wanted to be an actor when I was 12 so I am grateful that even after 10 years I am doing what I love so deeply. I constantly seek agency in my characters. If they don’t have agency, I wouldn’t do them because I just wouldn’t enjoy being a part of that process. I am lucky that I had the opportunity to play such diverse women,” the actor told PTI in an interview.

Bhumi will next be seen in “Mere Husband Ki Biwi”, which also features Rakul Preet Singh and Arjun Kapoor.

The 35-year-old actor said “Mere Husband Ki Biwi” is a fitting role to conclude her first decade in the industry.

“‘Mere Husband Ki Biwi’ has a very special place in my life because when I read the script, I felt, I have never played such a character of Prableen, she is a little off in a nice way… There is so much comedy in her unpredictability, and I have never played such a character before. I’ve played this part with a lot of dedication, so, it’s a very special film for mem,” she said.

The comedy film celebrates the quirks and complexities of romantic relationships. It is directed by Mudassar Aziz of “Khel Khel Mein” fame.

The actor said co-star Kapoor’s humor and friendship helped create a comfortable atmosphere on set while Singh was just like a sister.

“Arjun has a gift for comedy; he can do it well because he thinks like that. Rakul is a sister to me. When you are doing comedy, you need to be in a secure space… Until there is fun, trust and friendship, especially among the actors of a comedy film, you won’t be able to make the audience laugh,” she said.

The actor credited Aziz for steering her toward the world of comedy once again after working with him on the 2019 rom-com “Pati Patni Aur Woh”.

“The backbone of it is the writing. The biggest thing I learnt from Mudassar sir in this film is that comedy is of different styles. Like, the dialogues are written in a specific metre, and as an actor, you need to deliver in that metre, or else the punch won’t land,” she said.

Underscoring his love for films that evoke laughter, Aziz – who has helmed movies such as “Happy Bhag Jayegi”, and “Pati Patni Aur Woh”, said within the comedy genre he will continue to innovate and explore the complexities of relationships.

“I’ve always liked this kind of cinema (comedy), I’ve laughed a lot, enjoyed watching it a lot with friends or family. So, my mind automatically goes towards those kinds of movies while writing. I’ve stayed within a genre, and turned the stories in the right direction, or you can discover the newness or discover the newness of that relationship,” he said.

“This is the only relationship (of husband and wife) in the world, which seems to be on a contract and demands more investment in terms of time and hardwork, you cannot take this for granted. So, there will never be a shortage of problems while exploring this relationship onscreen. It is a breeding ground for a lot of comedy ideas,” the director, who admires filmmakers like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, David Dhawan and Raj Kanwar, said.

“Mere Husband Ki Biwi”, produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, and Deepshikha Deshmukh through the banner Pooja Entertainment, will be released in theatres on February 21.